Fluid pressure starting mechanism



y 9, 1931. T. J. ROBERTS 1,806,083

FLUID PRESSURE STARTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 21, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 19, 1931. T. J. ROBERTS FLUID PRESSURE STARTING MECHANISM Filed N V. 21, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NQ Q m N 7 ll N KH. I @N Ma 19', 1931. ROBERTS 1,806,083

FLUID PRESSURE STARTING MECHANISM Filed N01. 21, 1 92? 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 19, 1931 fflumrnn STATES.

THOMAS J. nonnn'rs, or ATLANTA, enone m FLUID PRESSURE STARTING MECHANISM Application filed November 21, 1927. Serial No. 234,868.

This invention relates to starters for internal combustion engines and has for an object to provide adevice of the piston and cylinder type with new and improved fea- 5 tures of operation and construction.

- A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a starter having a cylinder and piston with-a worm operated by the piston and an envelope enclosing the worm to properly retain the operating fluid and prevent rotation of the piston.

A further object of the invention is to provide a starter comprising a cylinder with piston reciprocating therein and carrying therewith an envelope, which latter envelope encloses the worm which is rotated by the reciprocation of the piston, the envelope being angular in cross section to prevent rotation of the piston.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain novel parts, ele ments, units, combinations, constructions, in 'teractions, mechanical movements and functions as disclosed in they drawings together with mechanical and functional equivalents thereof, as Willbe hereinaftermore fully described and claimed.

"In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the starter in substantially vertical longitudinal section with the piston located .at the position of initiating movement.

Figure '2 is a similar section with the piston shown substantially at the limit of its movement.

- Figure 3 is .a transverse sectional view taken on line 38' of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a transverse sectional view taken on line el4 of Figure 1. 2

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 55 ofFigure 1.

. Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on lined--63 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the envelope.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several v1ews.

The starter which forms the subject matter of this application is primarily intended for the initial actuation or turning over of internal combustion engines wherever located, but may obviously be used for other purposes, and in other locations, and is not in any Way limited in its utility to association with such an engine.

It comprises in its essential features a cylinder 10 which is mounted in any approved position and by the use of any approved devices to properly associate with the mechanical devices to be operated thereby. "The -cyl inder is provided at its opposite ends with heads 11 and 12 which are attached thereto by being screw-threaded directly upon the exterior of the cylinder, but it is to be understood that any means of attaching the heads is within the scope of the invention. 7

Located axially within the cylinder is a shaft 13 which may be the, regular shaft ordinarily found upon internal combustion engines to apply a crank or other starter thereto, or may be an extension thereof, but in any case it performs the function ofthe ordinary shaft and the showing of the coupling 14 is only intended to indicate that it maybe a separate shaft attached to a shaft already found-upon the engine.

Mounted upon the shaft 13,'also axially within the cylinder, is a worm 15 which extends outwardly through the stufling box 16 in the head 11 and carries one member 17 of a clutch, the other member 18 being rigidly secured to the shaft 13 in any approved mechanical' manner. ,7 o

Embracing the worm 15 is an envelope 19; which according to the present showing is square upon the exterior in transverse sec- 1 tion and cylindrical upon its interior to'fit the worm 15. V The envelope 19 slides through a stufling box 20 in the cylinder head 12, the opening and stuffing box being, of course, square to correspond to the exterior of the envelope 19 and to prevent rotation of the parts as will be hereinafter more fully described. I

At the end within the-cylinder 10 the envelope 19 is provided with an enlarged annulus 21 towhich the piston is attached, preferably by screw-threaded connection. the piston 22'being screwed on to said annulus 21.

The piston 22 is provided with any usual type of packing, indicated at 23, and, while the cup type, as indicated, is found a. desirable form of packing, the invention is in no way limited thereto.

The piston 22 also carries a ring 24 connected by screw threads with a nut 25. ii -turn connected with the ring 24'. The nut 25: en: gages the spiral furrows of the worm 15,.s0.

that as the piston advances the worm is rotated. Another movement of'the worm 15 is also provided for so that the clutch members 17 and 18 may properly engage. movement is a limited longitudinal move- 15 ment and is provided for by the reduced part 26' integral with the worm providing a shoulden 27" which engages against the cylinder head 11, as shown at Figure 2. The opposite movement of the worm is'limited' by means of nuts 28 adjustably secured to the shaft 13, and a packing 29 is introduced between the worm 15 and the envelope 19 topermit longitudinal sliding movement-,and at the same time prevent the passage of the compressedfluid employed to operate the device. The

shaft1-3 is' provided with an angular extremity- 30 to receive a crank or other manual means for operating the shaft under certain conditions, and" a cap 31 is normally screwed envelope to" In the use'ofthedevice, thenormal inoperativeposition willbe that shown at Figure; 1 with the piston at the end indicated as'the righthand end in that figure, and the clutch members 17 and 18 disconnected. When the device is to be employed for starting any mechanical device which may be, attached at pipe 33 will be directed to the pipe 35 by theproper manipulation of'the three-way valve 34s. In the usual well known practice ofsuch valves, the pipe 36 will, therefore, be open 505 to-thefatm'osphereand the fluid under pressure will= be introduced back of the piston 22- to force the piston from'the position shown at Figure l to that shown at Figure 2. The first movement ofthe piston in the direction inclicated will serve to move the worm 1 5 in the same direction until the shoulder 27 engages against the piston head 11 and'the clutch members 17 and 1 8 interengaged. Further longitudinal movement is, therefore prevented and the continued movement of the piston results in a rotary movement of the worm 15 and the parts connectedtherewith by the clutch members-17 and 18 which parts are-the shaft 13 and any connected'parts; As

will be noted, the movement of the piston 22 This 14, the fluid-under pressure present inthe also carried therewith the envelope 19 which slides through its stufling box in the piston head 12, the angular formation preventing rotation, also sliding over and embracing the worm 15. The interposition of this envelope 19 prevents the escape of the motor fluid from the cylinder through any parts andconfines itibackof the piston to perform its work. (hen the piston has reached the limit of its motivatingmovement, the valve is manually reversed to open'the pipe 35 to the atmosphere and admit air from the pipe 33 to the pipe 36' whereupon the piston returns to normal, moving therewith the. several parts in the opposite direction to that described in the motivating movement. 7

What I claim. to be. new is:

1. A starter comprising a. cylinder, a-piston mounted: to reciprocate therein, an envelope carried rigidly by the: piston andex.- tending outwardly through one: head of the cylinder and having an angular cross section. and removable cap, a shaft extending longi tudinally and: axially through. the cylinder and. having oneend. encl'osedwithinthez envelope, means to apply a manual implement to the enclosed end when. the. cap. of-the envelope isremoved, a worm. mounted axially within the cylinder and rotating about the shaft and within the. envelope, means carried by the piston to rotate the. worm, separable clutch. members, one ofwhichis carried by the worm and one by the shaft, andmeans' connecting the piston and worm providing? an initial longitudinal movement of the worm for interengaging the clutch members.

2. A starter comprising'a cylinder, a pistonv mounted to reciprocate withinthe cylinder, arr envelope. rigidly connected with the piston. and extending. outwardly through one piston. head, said envelope being angular in external cross section, a shaft extending axially through the cylinder and having one end enclosed: within the envelope, means to apply a manual implementto said end for rotating" said shaft independently of other elements, a worm mounted to rotateuponsthei shaft and' withinthe envelope and journaled axially within; thecylinder, means carried by" the piston for actuating the worm, a clutch member carried by the shaft,.a secondt clutch member carried by'the worm, means provid ing limited. longitudinal movement of the worm for the interengagement-of the clutch. members and means carried by the shaftifor limiting the return movement of the. worm- In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature.

THOMAS J. ROBERTS. 

